Or just another pretty face?
➔ No, we’re not talking political candidates. We’re talking about YOU! You, the job candidate.
At a recent panel discussion of corporate HR types, the group was asked, “Where do you go to find great talent?” Here are some of the responses: One company’s “new pool of candidates comes from their existing pool of employees – same schools, same majors, etc.”
Who’s got the power?
They all, however, also agreed that referrals are “the most powerful way” to get candidates. One panelist – who represented a company that was listed among Fortune’s Best Places to Work – stated that “50 percent of their hires result from employee referrals.” To make Fortune’s list, they must be doing something right.
Others note that many company’s actually offer referral fees when they refer an individual who ultimately gets hired. It equals incentives for them, opportunities for you.
What’s the message?
Maybe it’s time to break out the old black book or to start sifting through that mountain of old business cards to develop a list – a list which may contain former co-workers, former vendors, colleagues, classmates, neighbors, friends, et.al. Digest that list for any possible referral opportunities. More contacts, more opportunities.
That sounds like the beginning of a networking campaign. And what’s the big statistic regarding networking and hiring? Recruiters claim that anywhere from 70-to-80 percent of all jobs are filled through networking.
You never know. It could work for you, too!